Army Soldier Took Photos of Undressing Children in His Home, Generated Porn and Used Encrypted Tools to Surf Child Porn

• A U.S. Army soldier has been charged with sexual exploitation of a child
• The accused used encrypted applications to find child sexual abuse material online
• He generated pornographic content and took photos of undressing children in his home

A U.S. Army soldier previously in El Paso, TX, has been charged with sexual exploitation of a child. Seth Herrera, 35, has been indicted for receiving files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Herrera allegedly opted for secure, encrypted messaging and network applications to look up and download CSAM since 2021. Investigations revealed that he created pornographic content of children he knew using artificial intelligence, a Department of Justice press release read.

Herrera would have the children over to his El Paso home and take their photographs and videos while they were changing or undressing themselves. It is not established how the children were brought to his home, and under what circumstances they were made to dress or undress themselves.

He was previously charged with transferring, receiving, and storing AI-generated obscene content while he was stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the charges against Herrera.

The U.S. authorities have launched several initiatives, like know2protect and iGuardians, to create awareness and protect children from online abuse. 

They are taking strict action against offenders to deter similar attempts. Recently, a man from Oologah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 16 years. Bradley Andrew Friend, 40, was found guilty of sexually exploiting a minor.

The police traced him by impersonating an adult man with minor children. Friend disclosed his intentions and actions, including graphic conversations about family members. As soon as the undercover agents found out where he lived, they reached him, following which he confessed to his crimes.

Friend exchanged sexually explicit photos with a 16-year-old teen between September 2023 to July 2024. He also shared obscene images of children as young as 12. 

He will be transferred to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.